Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Revisiting the Draft With Brian Foley

As promised, we caught up with Brian Foley, the College Baseball guru and host of College Baseball Daily, and asked for his thoughts on the Giants draft last month. Here you go:

Q1) What are your thoughts on Joe Panik, and how long do you think before we see him in San Francisco? He's already started off red hot with their Single-A team, showing power and average, and kind of reminds me of Stephen Drew. Do you think he'll be a Buster Posey-type, sort of overnight success, or does he still have a few years of development to undergo?

B.F.) Panik was the best shortstop I saw with my own eyes this season. I was extremely impressed with his hitting while he is a solid defender but will not win any gold gloves though. Panik seems to do all the little things right from moving players over and coming through in the clutch.

Q2) Would you have selected Panik when the Giants did, or would you have gone another route? He does fit a organizational need at shortstop, but wasn't projected in many mock drafts to go in the first round and many feel they could have gotten him in the compensation round. Do you think that's true, or did the Giants make the right choice?

B.F.) I think the Giants made the right pick with the need in the organization but I was surprised that Panik was a first round pick. Another reason why they selected Panik is the signability of him over a high schooler who will be demanding “overslot” money.

Q3) After Panik, the Giants took a bunch of College players. They grabbed another catcher in the 2nd round in Oregon State's Andrew Susac, who many thought would be a first rounder. Within their first 6 picks, the Giants ended up with 5 College players grabbing USC first basemen Oropesa in round 3 and then pitchers Bryce Bandilla (Arizona), Chris Marlowe (Oklahoma State) and Josh Osich (Oregon State). I think Osich projects out to be the best of all three arms. Give us a your thought on each these players selected within the top-5 rounds.

B.F.) Susac is by far the most highly regarded out of the five players as he probably should have been a first rounder at Oregon State but never put “it” together with the Beavers.

Oropesa is a pure power hitting first baseman that has a future as a DH-type player. Every time I see him, he is hitting bombs including this one off of UCLA's Gerrit Cole.

Bryce Bandilla served as a reliever throughout the 2011 college season where he appeared in 32 games and struggled with his control walking 36 batters in 46.2 innings.

Osich was outstanding all year for Oregon State but had some injury issues at the back end of the season which dropped him. I would consider Osich the best candidate to get to the league if healthy first.

Q4) One of my favorite picks of the draft was Arkansas Baptist JC outfielder Kentrell Hill taken in round 10. I've heard many scouts compare him to Miami-Dade JC sensation Brian Goodwin. Are you familiar with the toolsy outfielder, and do you think he has a future in the Major Leagues?

B.F.) If he puts it all together, he will be in the major leagues as scouts were drooling over all the tools that he possesses.

Q5) Who was your favorite pick in this Giants draft, outside of the obvious choice of Panik?

B.F.) David Fischer from Uconn. If they sign him he could be a good middle reliever at the next level. I also like Michael Williams out of Kentucky as he could be a solid “backup” catcher to Buster in the coming years.

Q6) As always, give us a give us your grade on the Giants draft?

B.F.) I would say it is a B and could be a B+ depending on how many of the guys that they sign.

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